Representing the 5th District of Illinois

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WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), along with Rep. Dave Reichert (WA-08), launched the bipartisan International Basic Education Caucus. The caucus was created to help boost support in Congress for international basic education programs, increase understanding of global education challenges and build bipartisan support to address these issues, and establish a platform to respond quickly to global events such as the recent terrorist attacks on schools in Nigeria and Kenya.

“I am thrilled to be working with Congressman Reichert and the Basic Education Coalition in launching the International Basic Education Caucus,” said Rep. Quigley. “Around the world, 121 million children and adolescents are not in school. Worse, over half of these out-of-school children are girls. By investing in education in the developing world, we will be building stronger nations where people have opportunity. I look forward to using this caucus to raise awareness and garner support for international basic education.”

“I am proud to join with Congressman Quigley to form the International Basic Education Caucus,” said Rep. Reichert. “Guaranteeing education for all children around the world lays the foundation for success. We know just how important this is because of how frequently it has come under attack from groups like Boko Haram and the Taliban. If we are going to spread freedom, promote economic growth, enhance stability and security, and alleviate poverty around the world, the best way to do that is by first ensuring every young child, including every young girl, has access to basic education.”

"We are thrilled to see the bipartisan leadership of Congressmen Quigley and Reichert in establishing the International Basic Education Caucus,” said Anna Roberts, Director of Government Relations for the Basic Education Coalition, which works with U.S. policymakers, partner organizations, and the public to increase support and funding for quality basic education around the world. “By bringing together members of Congress around this important issue, they are helping give millions of children worldwide the opportunity to build a better life."

Since his election to Congress in 2009, Rep. Quigley has made affordable and accessible education one of his top issues, for students in the U.S. and across the globe. Rep. Quigley invited a public school teacher to the State of the Union address this year, highlighting the importance of education in the state of our nation and the economic opportunities access to quality education creates. He is a proud cosponsor of the Education for All Act, which would amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to provide assistance for developing countries to promote quality basic education. Rep. Quigley also supports funding for the Global Partnership for Education and other international basic education funding through USAID.